Tape measure



NOV 15, 1938. E, J, WITCHGER 2,136,769

TAPE MEASURE Filed Dec; ll, 1953 EUGENE J W/TCHGEH its Patented Nov. 15, 1938 PATENT" OFFICE- TAPE MEAS RE;

Eugene J. Witchger, Saginaw, Mich, assignor to The Lufkin Rule Ccmpany, Saginaw lvliciig, a corporation of 'Michigan,

Application December 11, 1932, serial Nm. #01315 d, p d 10 Claims.

. *Thisinvention relates to measuring tapes in which the casing: andthe tape are separable and the tape may be employed independently like a measuring rule, to beafterwa'rd returned and .25 readily stowed in the casing. It pertains more particularlyto push-pull or balanced action tape measures having such separable feature.

An important object of the inventionis to provide in a tape measure of the character stated a I O tape container or casingwherein a less number i of parts, in -this instance two, shall perform all the functions of the greater number heretofore employed. 1 3 An object is to provide a tape measure that combines with theseparable feature all of r the desirable features of the balanced orpush-pull type of aparatus; d 1 Another object is-to provide atape casing that is attractive and unusual in appearance, strong, yet light and capable of being manufactured in large lots at relatively low cost.-

A furtherobject is to provid'e in a tape of' the 'class described 'a structure that facilitates its entrance into the casing.

Other objectsof the invention will appear in the specification, the structural features appertaini ng thereto being recited in the claims; The accompanying drawing shows the invention in a preferred form.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the tape container with the cover removed; r

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing by dottedand solid lines the manner of inserting the separable tape, 35 3 Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the tape partly stowed and the resilient gapped tape-coiling band partly expanded, Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the fasteningthat secures the curved guide portion of the tape- .40 coiling band to the peripheral wall of the casing,

Fig. 5' is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of i Fig. 4, a

Fig. 6' isa fragmentary view of the inner' face of the resilient band, 1

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, distorted; showing a preferred casing structure,"

Fig. 8 is asimilar view showing a modified form of casing, and 1 Fig. 9 is a perspective" view of the tape guiding and. balancing device. 1 It may be noted-where that metal tapes: of the kind adapted for user with my improved container or' casing are known in the tape: measure art... They are flexibleand resilient, preferably gynon-planar in crosssectional shape, concavoconvex for example, and have a normal tendency to! spring; in straight position, yet are easily coi1able.: r

' In the formshown the casing is shaped so that it canbe readilysecured by acord to the 5 Qusers clothing or to hisv luggage, reducing the likelihood of getting lost. It. consists of upper and lower members and-in itsperipheral wall I is theusual tape'open-ing 2- Preferably, there is an internal boss 3' struck: up. from the: casing. 10

The boss is notabsoiutely essential to the satisfactory: functioningof the tape, but it is advanjtageousf and commercially desirablepresenting an annulus-4." y i Associated with the casing, and the boss is a devicethat assists inStQW I- E the tape in the casing and also maintains ita condition of running balance sothe tape stays in whatever more or less extended position it may be placed. This device enables the tape to move with ease and vcertainty while being. extended or retracted and ,while being. inserted. the casing or removed therefrom. The tape stowing and controlling "device is preferably made. of a single piece of spring. material, as in Fig. 9'. It consists of an outwardly e'xpansible" resilient member 5, gapped fat 5a. This part 5 preferably encircles the boss 3 so as to define therewith an annulartape-rec'eivihg channel 6, which, for purposes of il-iustration, is shown somewhat exaggerated in thickness'. The inner face of band 5' is provided with anti-friction devices, such as spaced projections l. Integral with the band 5 and preferably comprising an extension thereof is a curved or inclinedz guideportion 8 that projects over the gap;

5a and is bent so as to extend outwardly therefromtoward the peripheral wall I. Where the guide B merges into band- 5 there is a rather abrupt bend 5b presenting a shoulder. The outer endi 9 of guide 8 is fastened towa-ll l at H], pre'f-. erabl'y by detaehable means such as isshown in Figs. 4' and fia i The tape proper may" have the usuai tape hook at its outer end; and: its other end is preferably bent asindicated at H. Numeral I'Z, Fig. 3,,45 designates-the. initial convolution" of the tape. It is formedbythe conjoint action of members i and 5' and, under some circumstances, boss 3 also, when. thetape is pushed. into the casing.

All tape measure of my invention, when made as above described consists of but three parts, 1 namely, the casing. l-, the unitary stowing member, and the tape. It operates asfollows:

Asuitable tape, indicated in one position by dotted lines and in; another, position by fulllines, Fig. 2, is positioned preparatory to being pushed at random into the casing through tape opening 2 in the peripheral wall 1. Its bent end H encounters the curved guide portion 8 and in' advancing is deflected inwardly. It passes beneath the abruptly'bent member 5b and is suddenly delivered through the gap 511. into the annular channel 6. between boss 3 and band .5. Or else, if the end I [happens to first encounter the boss 3 the tape end may be deflected by the boss itself against the shoulder 5b and into,

channel 6. 7

Guide 8, although resilient enough to yield and accommodate the coil, is made sufiiciently stiff to perform the tape-guiding and deflecting function and also to support the band5 in an approximately concentric position with respect to the case while the latter is bein'gsubjected to the frictional and other stresses that are brought upon it by the tape while being coiled or un- The shoulder wee-operates with guide a, the band 5 and, in some cases, the boss 3 to constrain the tape to gwind compactly and to stay in that 'conditionwhen completely stowed.

' Tape end I I' normally presses outwardly as it makes its initial turn by-s'liding smoothly around the innerfac'e of-member 5. The'first convolution takes its shape from guideband 5 which is made suflicientlystiff for that purpose, and becomes the foundation hoop 12 upon which each succeeding convolution lays -itselfr Member 5 expands outwardly to accommodate each added layer and gap 5a spreads,'as shownin Fig; 3.

"A tape coil thus built up, byadding convolutions from the inside outwardlyds' termed in the trade an "outside;wind'tape. Y

f The projections on the inner face of band 5 facilitate the circular sliding movement 'of the ,tape and prevent band 5'from seizing the tape.

They lessen the normal tendency of the ,band to creep with the tape in the direction'of rotation ,of' the coil. Undue friction between band and tape would cause a, brake eflect, and wouldpre- ,vent smooth balanced push-pull action when the tape and caseare used together as va tape measure in the-ordinary way; ,Projections limay be of any suitable shape and may bearranged on the band 5 otherwise than is shown inv Fig. 6, but it 'is better if they donot extendjfclear'across 'the face of the band, because too much tapeb1feaking effortmight be exerted, v

Band member5 may be of resilient wires instead of the flat strip of ribbon metal here shown and the equivalent of projections I may be produced by suitably; crimping the wires.

A suitable fastening means is shown in Figs. 4

a and 5 for securing the guide 8 i resilient band to casing I. Guide 8'is- -formed With; Opposed notches 8a, and casing, I has inwardly offset lugs la, lb, struck up from its peripheral wall to engage the notches when the upper andlower parts of the casing, are put together in the. manner shown in Figsb'land ,8.

Fig- 7 shows'aipreferrediform.of casing. It

can be made economically, using simple dies, yet 7 it is unusual"'in:appearance;;;being .of annular or, as it is termed inthe trade, ,fdoughnut shape. The outer walls of the two. halves meet edge to edge and the'i'nner walls fitcne into the other,

.as at 13, and. areheld 1' togetherby press fit or otherwiseflA large central opening 131; is thus presented. v

v .1. Fig; 8 -shows a modified casing having alcentral "into additional convolutions. separable from the casing, can be instantly ap- "stiff to avoid creeping while co-operating with the casing element 3 to start the initial hoop I2 and while converting additional portions of tape The tape, although plied to it and then works on the push-pull principle with a degreeof ease and smoothness that satisfies all requirements.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 657,009, filed February 16, 1933, now Patent No.

51,987,652, January 15,1935, I illustrated and described a tape measure in which .the tape had the characteristic push-pull balanced action, although it was not adaptedto be separated from the casing. There the balancing was produced primarily by a coil spring fastened to the inner end of the tape. A secondary tape control ele- .ment was provided in the form of a weak spring brake band. This brake band was secured at its.

outer end to the, inner-wall of the casing at a place adjacent the tape opening. It was made quite weak, being of thin spring material, adaptedto creep slightly, withv the coil so as to distribute over the outer convolution of the tape. ;a frictional pressure sufficient to assist in moderating the efforts of the winding spring; that is to say, the spring band modified the pull exerted by the winding spring when tightly wound. In

thatstructure the balanced action of the tape;

was the result of the co-operation of the winding spring and the spring band.

3': The present invention in the embodiment herein shown and described differs in structure and mode of operation from the device of the co-.

pending application in, among others, the followingrespects:

In the present device the guide 8 provides an abutment that bends and deflects the advancing free end-of a tape'and guides it into the channel 6 defined by boss 3 and expansible member 5.

' Member 5 is 'expansible after the initial convolution I2 has been made into the form of a hoop by the conjoint action of boss 3 and member 5,

but the friction of the rotating tape during its. continued entering movement is minimized by projections I so there is no appreciable tendency ,of the member5 to seize'upon the tape and creep with it asin the former application.

In the commercial production of tapes the tape. band materialisfnot always uniform in spring strength nor in thickness, hence the action of the 2 individual tapes of ,a lot may not be the same.

In this invention the shoulder 51) and the guide 8 assist in correctingthat fault in the manneri.

that will now be described.

. ;Assuming that an extra/thick tape, or an extra strong one, is put into the casing and completely coiled, and that the user runs it in and out many times without pulling it completely out The first outward pull keeps all of the convolutions of the coil in closely packed condition, but theband 5 does not of itself perfectly follow up .the reduction in the size of the coil. It does so -approximately; but nevertheless it does not hug d l V immense thereducingcoil as tightlyas it'held the-full coil. Then when. the tape is again pushed in it again expands band 5. Each time the process it repeated the same thing 'occursgso the result is that after suchlong-r'epeatedpush-pull handling the coil is found to beconsiderably. en'- ofthe casing,bringing' up against the outer wall I. Without the bend 5b and spring guide 8 the tape would in that event become locked or choked the next time attempt was made to shove the tape in. But parts 5?) and 8 avoid that tendency, because, as is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the spring hump formed by bend 5b against wall I gives sufficient yield radially outclearance necessary to allow the remainder of the tape to be pushed in. The guide 8 then lies against the casing and so does the band 5, just beyond the bend 51), giving an arch spring eifect that greatly strengthens the inward thrust that is brought to bear on the tape at the place where it is entering the coil. The result is the tape can thereafter be run back and forth an indefinite number of times without gradually becoming blocked or choked. It will take a little more pushing force to push the final end of the tape into position underneath the band 5, but the tape can not lock. There is no winding spring, andthe tape is separable from the casing yet has all of the operating advantages of well balanced push-pull tape measures.

In the appended claims I have pointed out the essential elements of my invention, it being understood, however, that the claims are not intended to be limited to the form of the parts illustrated and described further than a limitation to the described form is necessary to distinguish them from the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure bysLetters Patent is:

1. A container for measuring tapes comprising, in combination, a casing having a tape opening in its peripheral wall and an internal boss, an outwardly expansible gapped resilient member that normally encircles the boss and defines therewith an annual channel, projections spaced apart on the inner face of said resilient member, an abrupt bend formed in said member adjacent the gap and presenting a shoulder, an integral guide portion projecting over the gap and outwardly therefrom, and fastening means securing the end of said guide to the peripheral Wall of the casing adjacent the tape opening.

2. A container for measuring tapes comprising, in combination, a casing having a tape opening in its peripheral wall, an outwardly expansible gapped resilient band of substantially circular shape, projections. spaced apart on the inner' face of said band, an abrupt bend formed in said band adjacent the gap and an integral guide portion projecting over the gap and outwardly -therefrom, and fastening means securing the outer end of said guide portion to the peripheral wall of the casing adjacent the tape opening.

3. An outwardly expansible gapped resilient member, an abrupt bend therein presenting a shoulder at the edge of the gap, and a guide member extending from the shoulder outwardly and projecting over the gap, said guide member being sufficiently resilient to accommodate the outward expansion of said gapped member and tape measure. U .4. .In a. tape measure of theclass described'insufiiciently rigid to support the samewh'en subject to the stresses incident toithe uses of the eluding a container having a central hollow boss, an outwardly expansible gapped: .band I-that normally encircles the boss and defines therewith an annular channel, an abrupt bend formed therefrom, for the purposes set forth 5. In a tape measure having a casing adapted for receiving and stcwing a separable length of spring tape, an outwardly expansiblle gapped resilient member in band form having an extension thereof constituting, a guide member projecting outwardly and over the tape, said guide member being yieldable outwardly in a radial disrection to accommodate expansion of the band member, and a spring tape of nonplanar crosssection having an end bent to present a bearing surface for sliding engagement with the inner peripheral faces of said yieldable guide member and said band member.

6. A casing having a tape opening in its peripheral wall, a flexible circular band of spring material within the casing, a portion of said band being bent outwardly from the circle of said band to the peripheral wall of the casing, and presenting at the bend an outwardly yieldable tape-deflecting shoulder, the end of said outwardly bent portion being fastened to the wall of the casing and adjacent the tape opening.

7. A measuring device comprising in combination a casing, an outwardly expansible gapped resilient member secured thereto, projections on the inner curved face of said resilient member, said projections being directed inwardly and spaced apart laterally so as to keep said resilient member from establishing face-to-face contact with and seizing a spring rule of the non-planar normally rod-like type While the rule is being thrust endwise into the casing and coiled within the said resilient member, whereby a condition of balanced smooth sliding push-pull action of the rule is maintained.

8; A measuring device comprising in combinationa casing, an internal boss therein and an outwardly expansible gapped resilient member secured thereto, said member and boss presenting between them an annular channel; projections on the inner curved face of said resilient member, said projections being directed in wardly and spaced apart laterally so as to keep said resilient member from establishing face-toface contact with and seizing a spring rule of concave convex cross section while the rule is being thrust endwise into the casing and coiled within the said resilient member, whereby balanced smooth sliding push-pull actions of the rule are attained.

9. In a tape measuring device of the character casing.

tions being adapted to resiliently engage the outer surface of the outer convolution of the tape and prevent the coils of the tape from frictionally engaging the peripheral wall of the 10.'A measuring device comprising in combination a casing having a tape-opening, an internal boss located centrally therein and a gapped resilient member secured to the casing, adjacent the tape opening, said memberrencircling said boss and. being expansible outwardly therefrom, said member and boss presenting be- 

